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Subject:Re: Using the word shall From:Romay Jean Sitze <rositze -at- NMSU -dot- EDU> Date:Wed, 5 Oct 1994 11:40:14 -0600
I love your anecdote to illustrate the use of "will" and "shall." I, too,
was taught to make these distinctions--back in the dark ages of 30 or so
years ago. Unfortunately we no longer stress grammar instruction in the
public schools to the same extent as we used to. This leads to increased
confusion on the part of users of our language when dealing with some of
the finer nuances.
On Tue, 4 Oct 1994, Kathryn Seifert wrote:
> I went to university in England and worked as a technical writer there for a
> while.
> While there I was taught that "shall" is the first person future indicative
> form of the auxiliary verb
> "will". Thus - "I shall be going home around 5:00 today" (this is a statement
> of fact). "Will" is the
> first person imperative form - i.e. "I will never talk to her ever again!"
(this
> is a statement of my firm
> intent).
> "Shall" is also the second and third person imperative form of "will" - thus,
> "You shall not touch
> that!" (this is a command). "Will" is the second and third person indicative
-
> i.e. "he will not eat
> fruit" (this is a statement of fact).
> A philosophy tutor of mine at university used the following phrase to teach me
> the difference
> between "shall" and "will": "A scotsman fell into the Thames and shouted to
the
> onlookers 'I will
> drown and nobody shall save me'. So he did and they didn't". In other words,
> rather than
> expressing his distress, he was perceived as expressing his intention to drown
> and his strong
> desire that no one save him.
> I live in the United States now, and no one seems to be aware of these
nuances.
> I think that the
> differences are useful, but only if the people to whom you are speaking have
> been taught in the
> same way. In any event I do not think that "shall" is merely "formal" speech.
> If your sales
> material will be seen by people in the UK, you might consider what many
consider
> to be the
> "correct" use of the words (at least in southern England).
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* RoMay Sitze rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu *
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* Mirrors should reflect a *
* little before throwing *
* back images. *
* -Jean Cocteau- *
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